published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Master / Master of Philosophy

Su veikliojo dumblo suspensijomis, gautomis iš Vilniaus miesto, Nemenčinės ir Utenos miesto nuotekų valyklų buvo vykdomi tyrimai, kuriais siekta ištirti nuotekose esančių teršalų poveikį veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmams ir nustatyti indikatorines rūšis šio poveikio įvertinimui. Tyrimai atlikti su šiais teršalais: 3,5 – dichlorfenoliu (3,5 – DCP), etanoliu ir valgomąja druska (NaCl). Veikliojo dumblo suspensijos buvo analizuojamos mikrobiologiškai, skaičiuojami mikroorganizmų rūšys ir individų skaičius (ind./ml). Per tyrimą buvo atlikta 16 eksperimentų ir nustatytos mikrobiologinė nuotekų valyklų sudėtys, iš kurių buvo gautos veikliojo dumblo suspensijos. Buvo įvertinti teršalų poveikiai veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijoms. Prie mažų (2,5 ppm, 5 ppm ir 7,5 ppm) 3,5 – DCP koncentracijų veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmai adaptavosi, o didelės (15 ppm ir 20 ppm) koncentracijos naikina veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmus. Etanolis veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijas veikia skatinančiai, kadangi auga veikliojo dumblo koncentracija ir bakterijų monokolonijų skaičius. Mažos (3 g/l, 5 g/l ir 7 g/l) NaCl koncentracijos skatina veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijas, prie 10 g/l dumblo organizmai adaptuojasi, o prie didelės (15 g/l) NaCl koncentracijos mikroorganizmų skaičius mažėjo. Taip pat nustatytos jautriausios mikroorganizmų rūšys (Acineria uncinata, Aspidisca costata, A. lynceus, Vorticella spp., Ptelomonas sp., plikosios amebos ir bakterijos, sudarančios... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The investigations of active sludge taken from Vilnius, Utena and Nemenčinė wastewater treatment plants was carries out. The main goal was investigate the effects of wastewater pollutants on communities of microorganisms taken from activated sludge and to identify indicator species of this impact assessment. Investigations were carried out with these pollutants: 3,5 - dichlorophenol (3,5 - DCP), ethanol, and salt (NaCl). Active sludge was analyzed microbiologically, number of species and number of individuals (ind. / ml) were counted. In this study 16 experiments was carried out and microbiological composition of wastewater treatment plants was estimated. Results showed that activated sludge microorganisms adapted to low (2.5 ppm, 5 ppm and 7.5 ppm) concentrations of 3,5 – DCP, but high (15 ppm and 20 ppm) concentrations reduced abundance of microorganisms. Ethanol stimulated community of activated sludge, because concentration of activated sludge and number of bacterial colonies increased. Low concentrations (3 g/l, 5 g/l ir 7 g/l) of NaCl also stimulated abundance of active sludge community, microorganisms adapted to the concentration of 10 g/l, and number of microorganisms decreased when concentration of NaCl was high (15 g/ l). Acineria uncinata, Aspidisca costata, A. lynceus, Vorticella spp., Ptelomonas sp., gymnamoebae and bacteria (which makes clusters) – this was the most sensitive species of microorganism in activated sludge. A. costata resisted quite high (even 10... [to full text]

HT biomass sonicated at ES inputs < 56KJ/gTS decreased floc size by 41% and enhanced its metabolic activity by 50-250% compared to control. ES inputs >118 KJ/gTS caused HT biomass solubilization and irreversible loss of its metabolic activity and reflocculation ability. During continuous activated sludge processing (ASP) of real primary effluent the observed yield (Yobs) decreased by 20% compared to control ASP at SF (stress factor) of 1 (biomass exchanged without USPT). At SF of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 (biomass exchanged with USPT) the Yobs further decreased by 33, 25 and 44% respectively as compared to control. This indicated that combining biomass anoxic exposure with USPT enhanced sludge reduction by increasing microbial maintenance metabolism likely in combination with microbial flora shift in the ASP depending on SF.

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Biotechnology, Technikon Natal, 2001. / Up until now extensive work has been done to develop kinetic models and related software that can be used successfully to simulate and design nitrification denitrification (ND) and nitrification denitrification biological excess phosphorus removal (NDBEPR) systems for efficient nitrogen removal. The denitrification kinetics of these systems have primarily been determined and attributed to the ordinary heterotrophic bacteria, now also known as the OHO fraction, otherwise not involved in biological excess phosphorus removal. However, denitrification kinetics determined for ND systems have been found to vary considerably at times when applied to NDBEPR systems because of varying OHO active fraction estimates and the unexplained occurrence of anoxic phosphorus removal and anysuccess achieved to date has been some what fortuitous. Ultimately variations in process performance and kinetics are attributable to inadequate control and lack of understanding of the ecological, physiological and biochemical activities of constituent microorganisms. There is growing concern and movement towards a better understanding of the microbial community within activated sludge in order to gain optimal control of the process. / M

In various industries, specialized filters with activated carbon are used for adsorbing mercury from air-flows. MRT has eight such Activated CarbonFilters (ACFs) in one of their devices. The main purpose of research is tostudy the flow in the ACF filter and suggest a mathematical model for the complete system through which an improved design can be found.Simulation of a single ACF illustrates how the current system’s air flow does not cover the whole filter leaving part of the carbon bed unused forthe adsorption. This is validated by experimental data. A theoretical studybased on a mathematical model is made and the improved air flow pattern of a re-designed ACF is presented. An additional improvement is that byswitching inlet and outlet the usable time of the filters is prolonged.

De part leur surface poreuse développée, les carbones activés montrent une grande efficacité pour l’adsorption de composés organiques en solution et la dépollution de l’eau. Cependant, l’adsorption est souvent irréversible et se pose le problème de la régénération de l’adsorbant. Dans ce travail, nous avons examiné les potentialités de piégeage réversible d’un herbicide, la bentazone, sur des tissus de carbone activé en utilisant un procédé électrochimique. Nous avons montré que la polarisation cathodique permet véritablement de régénérer la porosité du tissu de carbone avec une cinétique de désorption rapide et supérieure à la cinétique d’adsorption. Le processus d’adsorption fait intervenir essentiellement des interactions dispersives, en partie atténuées par les répulsions électrostatiques avec les groupes de surface dissociés. La bentazone s’adsorbe à plat par interactions et envahit les ultramicropores. La désorption sous polarisation négative implique des forces électrostatiques répulsives entre la surface de carbone polarisée et la bentazone chargée négativement, significativement renforcées par la présence du champ électrostatique, d’autant plus à des valeurs de pH élevées. L’électrodécomposition de l’eau joue un rôle crucial en provoquant une augmentation locale de pH dans la porosité, favorisant la dissociation de la bentazone, et donc en accentuant les répulsions électrostatiques. Les taux de désorption sont élevés et atteignent jusqu’à 95% au second cycle de désorption, sans altérer les propriétés physico-chimiques initiales de l’adsorbant carboné. Lors du premier cycle de désorption, on constate qu’une partie de la bentazone reste piégée irréversiblement (30 à 50%), soit parce qu’elle est bloquée dans l’ultramicroporosité ou bien parce qu’elle est adsorbée au niveau de feuillets qui ne sont pas connectés électriquement aureste du réseau carboné, et restent donc inefficaces lors de la polarisation de l’électrode. / With their highly developed porous surface, activated carbons show a great efficiency for adsorption of organic compounds in solutions and for water decontamination. Indeed, adsorption has often an irreversible character and the problem concerning the regeneration of the adsorbent appears. In this study, we have examinated the reversible trapping of a herbicide, bentazone, on activated carbon cloths using an electrochemical technique. We have shown that cathodic polarization allows the regeneration of the porosity of activated carbon cloth with a quick kinetic of desorption, higher than the kinetic of chemical adsorption. The adsorption process implies dispersive interactions, partially attenuated by electrostatic repulsions with the dissociated acidic surface groups. The bentazone is adsorbed in a flat position with its aromatic ring parallelel to the carbon surface, through interactions, and is able to enter in the ultramicropores. The desorption under negative polarization involves electrostatic repulsions between the carbon surface which is negatively polarized and the dissociated bentazone molecule. These repulsions are increased significantly with the existence of the electrostatic field, and the effect is more pronounced at high pH values. The electrochemical decomposition of water plays a crucial role by increasing the local pH in the pores, and favoring the dissociation of bentazone, and therefore the electrostatic repulsions. The desorption level reaches high values, until 95% during the second cycle of desorption, without altering the physico-chemical properties of the activated carbon cloth. During the first step of desorption, we notice that a part of the bentazone is trapped irreversibly (30 à 50%). This is caused by either the blockage of the adsorbate in the ultramicropores or the absorption of bentazone on graphene sheets which are not connected to the carbon network and are therefore insensible to polarization.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Degree of Masters of Applied Sciences (Biotechnology), Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Activated sludge (AS) flocs are paramount in biological treatment of wastewater, are comprised of microbial consortia with organic and inorganic material bound together by extra polymeric substances (EPS). The filamentous bacteria play a vital role in the floc formation process by providing the necessary structural support. Presence of epiphytic attachment on selected filamentous bacteria is a commonly occurring phenomenon in activated sludge samples. Different theories have been proposed to describe this phenomenon; however, not much research has been carried out to explore the profundity of the attachment. In this study, an attempt has been made to elucidate the intrinsic nature of the epiphytic attachment between the bacterial rods and filamentous bacteria based on microscopic (morphological and structural) analysis. Characterization of these epiphytes were performed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) at group level using Alpha, Beta and Gamma Proteo-bacterial probes. Morphological characteristics of filament hosts and the bacterial rods at the interface region was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM micrographs indicated that the attachment was facilitated by more than the EPS layer. Further ultrastructural examination using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated a possible cell-to-cell interaction between epiphytes and the selected filaments. Fibrillar structures resembling amyloid-like proteins were observed within the filament cell targeted by the epiphytes. An interaction was apparent between the amyloid like proteins and the epiphytes as exhibited by the direction of fibrillar structures pointing towards the approaching epiphytes. Common bacterial appendages such as pili and fimbria were absent at the interface and further noted was the presence of cell membrane extensions on the epiphytic bacteria protruding towards the targeted filamentous cell. The sheath of host filaments however, remained intact and unpenetrated, during colonization. Amyloid-like fibrils at interface may potentially play the role of attachment sites for the attaching epiphytes, as attachment facilitating appendages were not visualized. / M

Economic utilisation of biogas arising from sewage sludge is hampered by the need to remove siloxanes, which damage gas engines upon combustion. This thesis applies on-line Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to measure siloxanes in biogas upstream and downstream of the activated carbon vessels designed to adsorb siloxanes. On-line analysis provides accurate measurement of siloxane concentrations with a detection limit below the siloxane limits set by engine manufacturers, high data intensity and timely identification of breakthrough. Cost savings of up to £0.007 kWh- 1 may be realised compared to existing grab sampling. Using on-line analysis, the performance of full-scale and bench-scale carbon vessels were measured. Full-scale carbon contactors are typically operated at Reynold’s numbers close to the boundary between the laminar and transitional regimes (Re = 40 - 55). This thesis demonstrates, at full- and bench-scale, that increasing the Reynold’s number to site the adsorption process in the transitional regime increases media capacity, by 36% in dry gas and by 400% at 80% humidity. It is postulated that the change in gas velocity profile which occurs as Reynold’s number increases reduces the resistance to siloxane transport caused by gas and water films around the carbon particles, and therefore increases the rate of the overall adsorption process. In the laminar regime (Re = 31) increasing humidity from zero to 80% led to the classical stepwise reduction in adsorption capacity observed by other researchers, caused by the increasing thickness of the water film, but in the transitional regime (Re = 73) increasing humidity had no effect as no significant water film develops. It is therefore recommended that siloxane adsorption vessels should be designed to operate at Reynold’s numbers above 55. By choosing a high aspect ratio (tall and thin) both Reynold’s number and contact time can be optimised.

The activated sludge process is one of the most commonly employed domestic and industrial waste treatment process. Different types of mathematical models have been proposed for design and operation of this process, most of which do not consider the relationship between the sludge settling characteristics and the aeration unit performance. This project studies the validity of a model developed by La Motta (2004b) which links the operating parameters of an activated sludge system and the classical limiting flux sludge settling theory. Favorable results were obtained demonstrating that the model predicts very similar values of the parameters of the system in comparison with the parameters observed in an activated sludge pilot plant that is located within installations of the Marrero Wastewater Treatment Plant, New Orleans, Louisiana. This research also demonstrated that the model is a helpful tool for the design and operation of an activated sludge system.